1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to display devices, and more particularly, to touch-screen display devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Displays that can detect a presence of a touch are known as touch screen displays, and can be used to operate an electronic system in which they are incorporated. Touch screen displays are used in a wide variety of electronic devices. Such devices include computer systems, portable music players (e.g., MP3 players), kiosk applications in retail environments (e.g., in a music store to allow a customer to sample music for sale), and so forth.
Touch screen displays come in a variety of types, including resistive touch screens, surface acoustic wave touch screens, and capacitive touch screens. A panel in a capacitive touch screen may include a sensor that is coated with a material that conducts a continuous electric current across sensor. The electric current across the sensor results in an electric field having both a horizontal and vertical axis, thereby achieving capacitance. A human body may also store electrons, and therefore exhibits capacitance. When a human being touches the touch screen, the sensor's electric field is thus altered by the capacitance of the human being providing the touch. The distortion in the sensor's electric field can be measured, and this information can be sent to an electronic device for further processing to determine the location of the touch. Based on determination of the location of the touch, the electronic system in which the touch screen is implemented may take further action, such as selecting an item, navigating to a new location, or other appropriate actions.